N521TC

On June 24, 1996, at 0900 mountain daylight time, a Hughes 369HE, N521TC, struck a fence while hovering at the Las Cruces International Airport, Las Cruces, New Mexico. The helicopter was registered to Hex Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware, and operated by a private owner under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed for the personal cross country flight. The commercial pilot and the 3 passengers were not injured and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Globe, Arizona, 2 hours before the accident.

During personal telephone interviews, conducted by the investigator-in-charge, with the pilot, local authorities, the airport manager, and the FAA inspector, the following information was revealed. The helicopter approached the ramp parking area from a taxiway parallel to the ramp. During the landing, after the left skid had contacted the ramp, the pilot brought the helicopter to a hover. While hovering (IGE), the tailrotor struck the top of a chain link fence and the tailrotor and gearbox separated from the aircraft resulting in a loss of control. Subsequently, during the spinning of the helicopter, the pilot lowered the collective, the left skid struck the ramp, and the helicopter came to a stop on its left side. Damage was reported to the tailrotor, tailboom, gearbox, skids, and main rotor blades.